"Daddy?" Felix called to his father Sherlock. Sherlock was deep in his mind palace and had not heard his son call. Felix moved closer to his father; he now stood next to Sherlock's chair. "Daddy?" The little boy asked again, prodding his fathers arm. Sherlock jolted out of his thoughts and looked to Felix. "Hello?" He asked with slight irritation in his voice at being disturbed. "What are you going to be for haw-ooh-ween?" The three year old inquired but still not quite able to pronounce Halloween properly. With anyone else, Sherlock would have dismissed such a ridiculous holiday celebrated by Americans, but picturing the scowl on Molly's face if he was to be so cold to their son urged him to participate in the festivity. He brushed aside the open book that had been in his lap and lifted a squealing Felix up and over the arm rest and onto his lap.
"I don't know Felix. What do you want to be?" Sherlock queried, keeping up the charade. Felix shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know what to be!" He sounded exasperated, as if not know if what to wear would end his existence. "What's mummy going to wear?"
"I don't think Mummy will be dressing up this year she's not really going to fit into any costum-" Sherlock began.
"SHERLOCK HOLMES! If you dare finish that sentence, you will not be living in this house until after the baby is born!" Molly exclaimed, waddling into the room with Fabian (their five year old son) in pursuit. Fabian followed Molly into the room struggling to carry a pumpkin that seemed larger than him. Sherlock stood up and deposited Felix on his chair before kissing Molly on the cheek and taking the pumpkin from a near-collapsing Fabian.
Sherlock entered the kitchen and dumped the pumpkin on the table whilst looking at it in disgust. "Why?" He exhaled. "Why not?" Molly stated walking into the kitchen behind him and dumping her own shopping bags on the little free space left on the cluttered kitchen table. He frowned at her. "You know I hate Halloween." Molly shrugged, looking so much like Felix had moments ago.
"You have to learn to tolerate things you don't like. Besides Fabes and Felix are excited about it and I won't let them be disappointed." Molly said pointedly. Sherlock should have taken offence, but the reminder that Molly wanted the best for their children made him smile. He walked toward her and she reached out to hug him. She nuzzled against his chest as he said, "I'm still not happy about it. But I'll survive. But I draw the line at dressing up!" She pulled back and reached up to kiss his nose affectionately. "Mm'kay... But you still need to calve the pumpkin with the boys! And if you do I'll make pumpkin pie." She responded not so innocently. Sherlock thought back to the last time Molly made pumpkin pie. As he remembered her cooking was delicious but what he was more concerned with was the activities they participated in afterwards... She coughed to bring him out of his thoughts. "Better get started then hadn't we?" She mocked him. He simply nodded and called the boys into the room.
Four and a half hours later, there was an extremely large pumpkin sat in the middle of table which was intricately carved to depict a murder scene where the victim had been 'axed' in the back. The scent of pastry and pumpkin mingled in the air as the small family waited for the timer to ring sounding that their Halloween weekend could begin with the delicate taste of the orange fruit that now acted as a centre piece for the table. After filling himself full of pumpkin pie and coffee and now sitting snuggled up with his family on the sofa, Sherlock decided that he could maybe begin to like Halloween. He still didn't like dressing up though- that would never change.
FIN. -Jess (And yes for those of you now contemplating it- a pumpkin is a fruit!)